Sony Announces the NEX-EA50 Full HD Pro Camcorder

B&H Photo just announced Sony's latest camera, the NEX-EA50 Full HD Pro Camcorder with an 18-200mm servo zoom lens, the first E-mount lens with servo zoom. Called the NEX-EA50UH (rolls so easily off the tongue), it features a new Exmor APS-C CMOS sensor and delivers Full HD 1080p at 24, 25, 30, 50 and 60 frames per second.

From the official press release:

"The popularity of HDSLRs among videographers can be credited to their filmic video quality, thanks to their large image sensors, and the prospect of professional grade HD video and still photographs, all within one camera body. The NEX-EA50UH was designed with this in mind and it improves on the concept by combining an APS-C sensor, E-mount lenses and DSLR quality still photographs with a camcorder form factor, servo zoom lenses, timecode and professional audio recording capabilities. It also has some truly groundbreaking features that videographers could only dream about before now.
While an HDSLR might be classified as a professional grade still camera that also happens to shoot good video, the NEX-EA50UH might be classified as a professional grade camcorder that also shoots great still photographs. It may be a curious concept, but this camcorder is serious about photography. Not only would the 16MP APS-C CMOS sensor be right at home in the body of a DSLR, the NEX-EA50UH also features a dedicated shutter release button, a mechanical shutter to eliminate rolling shutter artifacts, and a hot shoe for using traditional flash units.

The NEX-EA50UH may be a somewhat eccentric looking mutt, but the design will grow on you. It is particularly handsome with the viewfinder diopter tube, a shotgun microphone, and the 18-200mm servo zoom lens attached. Another nice design attribute is the shoulder pad, which slides backwards to accommodate a comfortable shoulder-mounted position. Some familiar features have carried over as well, like the top handle, a meaty handgrip with adjustable strap, and a shock absorbing microphone mount. HDSLR users who scoff at the size of this camera might think twice next time they have to assemble their shoulder rig. What’s more, for its size, the NEX-EA50UH is surprisingly light weight."

Jaron Schneider is an Fstoppers Contributor and an internationally published writer and cinematographer from San Francisco, California. His clients include Maurice Lacroix, HD Supply, SmugMug, the USAF Thunderbirds and a host of industry professionals.

8 Comments

prosumer is spelled "AVCHD" and "SDHC" Sony of course knows how to make descent cameras. Sony also just announced the XDCAM PMW-200 $6200 at BH. Mpeg and SxS. There is no way that 25 mbps AVCHD will ever look as good as 50 mbps mpeg, regardless of the size of the sensor. Even the FS700 ( $9000 at BH ) is still a 24 mbps AVCHD camera. Sad, because its half the price of Canon. And if they ever make 4K work and teh result isnt more AVCHD, it would be agreat camera. Now, you coudl stick an outboard recorder on any of them...

Wrong. AVCHD is the future. Just because someone buys an overpriced camera that captures at 50mbps and uses an overpriced capture card doesn't make it broadcast. I can take video from my NEX EA50 and make it look as good or better than any 50mpbs camera. If you know how to compose a shot, know lighting and how to use your camera, you will always have great shots. HD streaming broadcast is streamed at only 7mbps, so whether you shoot 24 or 50mbps isn't really the issue at all. I have grown to love AVCHD and even hollywood releases are coming out in AVCHD. Would you call Hollywood "prosumer"? Prosumer im my book are the posers that use DSLR cameras and think they're professional videographers. They're much more to it than that.

I am not a lawyer, but the licence sony provides with the camera for AVCHD says, and I quote from the EA50 manual:page 131 "THIS PRODUCT IS LICENSED UNDER THE AVC PATENT...FOR PERSONAL USE...WHICH IT DOES NOT RECEIVE RENUMERATION" Their caps, by shortneing. What part of "pro" means "no renumeration" Even the MPEG2 part is for consumers only.

"a mechanical shutter to eliminate rolling shutter artifacts" - pretty sure my Canon 5D has a mechanical shutter ( it goes clunk ) and STILL has rolling shutter issues - caused by the time it takes to process the data from the large sensor. In sony's case scanning 16 megapixels to capture 2 megapixel's worth of video. Unless Sony have a better formula or better processors than Canon does.

The mechanical shutter is there to eliminate rolling shutter in the still capture, not video recording. Stills shot with an electronic shutter, like the Nikon J1 have rolling shutter issues. A mechanical shutter eliminates that. The EA50 will still have awful rolling shutter in video mode.

I have to say I rather enjoyed that press release. For once it reads like it was written by an actual human being rather than the usual PR robot-speak.
"It may be a curious concept..."
"somewhat eccentric looking mutt..."
"users who scoff at the size of this camera..."